How Israel's air defense system works

What defense systems does Israel have and how well do they work?

The country's air defense system comprises three components. David's Sling, also known as Magic Wand, can intercept medium-range missiles, drones and cruise missiles. The Arrow system targets long-range missiles.

Iron Dome, meanwhile, can intercept and destroy short-range rockets and artillery shells. It has garnered praise on social media for being "Israel's life insurance." The system has been in use since March 2011.

How does Iron Dome work?

An Iron Dome battery consists of a radar unit and a control center that can detect projectiles soon after their launch and calculate their trajectory and target. It takes seconds for an approaching projectile to be detected. This is crucial because depending on how far they live from the Gaza Strip, people in Israel might only have 15 to 90 seconds to get to safety when the sirens start wailing.

A battery also has three or four rocket launchers with 20 missiles each should projectiles be headed toward populated areas. The interceptor missiles can be maneuvered in the air.

However, they are not designed to strike an approaching projectile but to explode close by and destroy it in the process. Falling debris can, therefore, still cause considerable damage.

There are currently 10 mobile Iron Dome systems in use in Israel. According to their manufacturer, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, which develops military and defense technologies for the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), a single battery can protect a medium-sized city and intercept rockets fired from a maximum of 70 kilometers away. Experts calculate that 13 systems would be needed in order to defend the entire country.

How effective is the system?

According to Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, the "Iron Dome" has a 90% success rate. Its website says the system has intercepted over 5,000 rockets so far.

According to the Israeli army, more than 3,000 rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory during the attack of the radical Islamist militant group Hamas on October 7, 2023.

How much does it cost? 

The cost of a single Iron Dome interceptor missile ranges between $40,000 (€36,650) to $50,000 (€45,800), according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington-based think tank. 

Given the costs, the Israeli army wants to replace its Iron Dome system with a new laser defense weapon called the Iron Beam.

The high-energy laser beam will be used to destroy small missiles, drones and mortar shells. The idea is also that it should be capable of neutralizing drone swarms.

Originally, Iron Beam's deployment was intended for 2025 but according to media reports, it could be brought into operation sooner.

The new Iron Beam laser weapon

Israeli defense company Rafael Systems first unveiled the high-energy weapon in February 2014. US defense contractor Lockheed Martin has also been involved in the project since 2022.

The advantages of the Iron Beam system over Iron Dome include far lower costs per shot, theoretically unlimited ammunition supplies and lower operating costs.

Cost estimates, however, vary considerably. Firing the laser reportedly only costs a few dollars, or up to $2,000 (€1,800) when everything is factored in.

This article was first published on May 12, 2021 and was updated on August 25, 2024.